Can anyone Help please,
I have a set of avid Juicy 3's which I find adequate for my winter hack.About three months ago I found the rear brake worked fine but the lever felt sloppy (there is no play in pivot bushes) after an application until the piston came back to its normal position.I thought the seals must be dry sprayed in some lube made no difference .I then enquired as top the cost of a new seal kit,brake fluid amd bleed kit,it was cheaper to buy a whole new brake which is what I did.
But now the front brake is displaying the same problem ,has anyone else come accross this annoying problem .thanks very much .

Yes, exactly as you describe with a Juicy 5 front brake. I posted a similar note to yours earlier in the week but didnt get any replies.

Good luck and let me know if you get a fix!

take the level apart and put some rubber safe grease in the cylinder around the rubber seals and they will work perfect after that.It is a bit of a fiddle getting the circlip out put just be calm and keep trying.

new master cylinder seal kit for them both. Seems to happen a lot with avids.

Another thread on here at this very moment, posted by agentdagnamit.Common problem either caused by poor manufacturing tolerances, or incompatible lube swelling the seals, i'd recommend a strip, thorough clean, and new piston assembly lubed with a silicone brake grease(Hunters, from plumbers supplies, is what Hope sell. Good for caliper piston assembly too.)

Looks like a strip down and bleed kit purchase after all ,good point about the lube I do spray TF2 on lever pivots .
Thanks to all for your help.

That's likely to be the cause then, pretty sure that stuff swells the seals. Get some decent brake cleaner and make sure you remove every last trace of it or you'll be doing it again pretty soon.

agentdagnamit – Member

Yes, exactly as you describe with a Juicy 5 front brake. I posted a similar note to yours earlier in the week but didnt get any replies.

Good luck and let me know if you get a fix!
You got replies!! http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/sticky-avid-gear-levers

Thanks again everyone ,I think you are probably right about the seals but funny thing is I have juicy carbons on my other bike and have used TF2 with no problems ,maybe they use cheap rubber in the 3's ?.

BTW has anybody discovered a bleeding technique to avoid buying the expensive Avid kit ? Thanks